The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Antonio Conte

  • Allegri, Simone in battle to replace Conte

    Allegri, Simone in battle to replace Conte

     

    Chelsea have started the search for their new manager with Antonio Conte increasingly likely to leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season.

    The Italian is preparing to move on a year before the expiry of his contract, with the Blues already looking at the contenders to replace him.

    Among the frontrunners are the Juventus coach Max Allegri, former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique, Napoli manager Maurizio Sarri and Atletico Madrid’s Diego Simeone.

    We compare the careers and achievements of the four bosses in the frame for the Stamford Bridge hotseat.

    Allegri was the man who succeeded Conte at Juventus and he has successfully managed to maintain their standards domestically as well as lead them to two Champions League finals.

    Though contracted to Juventus until 2020, having extended his deal just last year, Allegri does have ambitions to test himself outside of Italy for the first time.

    Having bossed two of the Serie A giants in Juve and Milan, Allegri certainly knows what it is like to manage under the pressure of sky-high expectations and still thrive.

    He also favours an exciting, attacking brand of football and gets winning results, which would certainly win the favour of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.

    Luis Enrique has not hidden his desire to coach in England and this could be an opportunity for him to achieve that dream.

    Although he is currently out of job, he  maintained Barcelona’s golden period of success during his three seasons at the helm, winning two league titles, three Spanish Cups and the Champions League when they defeated Juventus 3-1 in 2015.

    This impressive CV, his relative youth, and the attractive brand of football he championed at the Nou Camp will all be appealing to Chelsea. Next in line is Maurizio Sarri who served his time in Italy’s lower leagues before getting a break at Empoli and then his home city club Napoli in 2015.

    A tactical and technological innovator who makes a massively positive impression with his players, Sarri has been lauded for embracing a style of football that is very pleasing on the eye.

    No less than Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola described Napoli as one of the most exciting teams to watch in Europe right now and they are leading Serie A at the midway point.

    Though he would undoubtedly bring entertaining football to Stamford Bridge, he hasn’t coached outside Italy and he hasn’t yet won any silverware. Then enter Diego Simeone  who has been linked with a number of top clubs in recently but who will be difficult to price away from Atletico Madrid where he has a contract till 2020.

    Hailed for transforming an unfashionable and underachieving team into achievers both in Spain and the European competitions, Simeone certainly isn’t short on passion.

    His animated touchline antics are pretty similar to Conte’s, though his approach tactically may not be to Chelsea tastes.

    But guiding Atletico to two Champions League finals, beating a raft of top quality opponents along the way, has confirmed Simeone is a man who can mix it with the best bosses.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • You’re a “little man’’, Chelsea’s Conte berates Mourinho

    You’re a “little man’’, Chelsea’s Conte berates Mourinho

    Chelsea manager Antonio Conte continued his ongoing feud with Jose Mourinho on Saturday by calling the Manchester United manager “a little man”.

    Mourinho made a pointed comment about match-fixing during the week, a reference to the four-month suspension Conte was handed in the 2012/2013 season.

    His offence was his failure to report match-fixing at his previous club Siena.

    He was later cleared by an Italian court of any wrongdoing.

    “I think when you try to hurt a person, especially if you know very well the truth of what happens, the court proved my innocence.

    “When you do this it means you are a little man,” Conte said after Chelsea’s 0-0 FA Cup third-round draw at Championship side Norwich City.

    “But this is the not the first time. He does this in the past and he continues to do this in the present.”

    Mourinho and Conte have never been friends but their relationship deteriorated this week after Mourinho spoke about some managers behaving “like a clown” on the touchline.

    This was taken as a reference to Conte and Liverpool’s Juergen Klopp.

    In response on Friday, the Chelsea manager accused the Portuguese of “senile dementia”, which led to Mourinho saying he had not mentioned any names.

    “This is his way, it is no surprise. We all know him,” Conte said. “Life will go on, I‘m not worried about him.”

    Conte refused to criticise his players after making nine changes for the match against Norwich.

    “It’s a bit frustrating. We knew the difficulty of the game. When you play away in this competition it’s not easy,” he said.

    “In the first half we had difficulty to attack but in the second half we created chances to score.

    “Norwich deserve to have another game. For us it’s not simple to add another game in the schedule. These are the rules though.”(Reuters/NAN)

  • Conte:  Top-four finish good enough for Chelsea

    Conte:  Top-four finish good enough for Chelsea

     

    Chelsea boss Antonio Conte believes finishing in the top four will mean they have had a successful season regardless of losing their Premier League title.

    The champions head into Saturday’s game with Stoke City 16 points behind league leaders Manchester City, who have left the rest of the division trailing in their wake with their sensational form this term.

    Chelsea are still involved in the EFL Cup and FA Cup and have a Champions League last-16 tie with Barcelona to come, leaving them a good chance of finishing 2017-18 with silverware.

    But Conte believes their league campaign will be a success as long as they finish in one of the three spots directly behind City.

    “I think, in this league, to finish in the top four will always be a successful season,” he told a news conference.

    “This is the only league to have six top teams to fight every season for the title. And then there are only four places for the Champions League and two for the Europa League.

    “But it’s normal when your competitors are doing so well, like Manchester City… it’s very difficult to think about fighting until the end for the title. But, at the same time, we must try to fight in every game, for the three points and to give satisfaction to the fans, and to give everything.”

    Conte has few injury problems ahead of Stoke’s visit to Stamford Bridge, meaning he could rotate his selection in order to save some players for the trip to Arsenal on January 3, while Charly Musonda and David Luiz are close to returns.

    However, although the former Juventus boss enjoys playing matches over Christmas, he admits it would be useful to have a rest period after the festive season.

    “All the players are available,” he said. “The same players from the last game are available, and about Musonda and David Luiz, they are improving a lot. The recovery is very close – I don’t know about the next game, but for sure against Norwich City [in the FA Cup].

    “I think we have a game that is very difficult against Stoke City. As you remember well, last season, in the same period, we suffered a lot to beat them at home. I remember very well the game. We must pay great attention.

    “I think we have to go game by game. It’s normal when you have to play every two days that I have to make rotations and give a bit of rest to the players playing every game. At the same time, all my players deserve credit and I trust in all my players.

    “Personally, I’m very happy to stay here and work here, to have this type of Christmas period. I think to play during the Christmas period is great, great not only for me but for the players. You live a fantastic atmosphere. I’m enjoying a lot this type of situation.

    “But, at the same time, I can tell you that, after this period, I’d like to have a little period of rest: for me, for the players. But not only for my team but for every team in England. And then to prepare for the final rush.”

    One player yet to appear for Chelsea this season is Baba Rahman, who has been sidelined since February with a knee injury, and Conte admits he is not sure whether the left-back will stay beyond next month’s transfer window.

    “This player is coming from a bad injury. A bad, bad injury. He’s struggling a bit to recover the best form,” he said.

    “I must be honest, I don’t know what will happen with Baba. For sure, about the human aspect, I’d like to give him an opportunity to come back strong like before. He is showing great patience because he’s struggled a lot but, honestly, I don’t know what will happen with Baba. If I can help him, I’m ready to help him.”

  • Pep: i and Mourinho are like twins

    Pep: i and Mourinho are like twins

    Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho have enjoyed a rivalry, in Spain and England, that has at times been acrimonious but the Manchester City manager believes they have something in common.

    The Spaniard believes that when it comes to the desire to win trophies they are identical.

    “Definitely. In that, we are twins,” said Guardiola when asked, ahead of Sunday’s derby clash, if he was as obsessed with winning as his United and former Real Madrid counterpart.

    “They want to win trophies, we want to win trophies.

    “I think Antonio Conte is the same as well, and Jurgen (Klopp) and Mauricio (Pochettino), and in all the leagues around the world, the managers are (like that),” the former FC Barcelona manager added.

    “I never criticise my colleagues for the way they play. I never did in the past, I will never do it.

    “Football is magnificent for that, because every manager plays in the way they play. There are different ways to enjoy football. It’s simple like that,” he said.

    Keeping it simple is Guardiola’s mantra ahead of the highly anticipated derby.

    Although City head to Old Trafford with an eight-point lead over their local rivals, the Spaniard is determined that his team keep their focus.

    Their focus, he said, will be on doing what they have done so well this season — playing their style of possession football.

    “The big challenge is to play good, to try to control the start point. It’s hard, because it’s United at Old Trafford. We want to try to play our game.

    “The focus is going there relaxed and knowing that if we don’t win the individual duels, it will be almost impossible to beat them,” Guardiola said.

    “We will try to play well, to play good football, what we have done, to be what we are. So I would like to finish the game and go to the locker room and feel we were what we have been for the season.

    “As for the result, nobody knows what is going to happen. We will try to find the best way to play well and to win the game,” he said.

    While a victory would send City 11 points clear ahead of the festive season, Guardiola has little time for the notion that the game could be a title decider.

    “Winning, drawing or losing on Sunday, we are not going to win or lose the English Premier League. It’s December,” he said.

    “It’s an important game, because it’s United. You can get points and deny your opponent points. But it’s the same for them.

    “I am not going into the game thinking: OK, we have an eight-point lead. What do I have to do because we have an eight-point lead? The Premier League is a marathon. We haven’t even arrived at the halfway stage yet.

    “There are a lot of points to play for, more than 70. We just focus on the game, and the result, and then after, recovery and then thinking about Swansea three days later.

    “It’s simple like that. It’s about going there and doing our game. That is what I want to see from my players.”

    NAN

  • FA slam Conte with £8,000 fine for Swansea dismissal

    FA slam Conte with £8,000 fine for Swansea dismissal

     

    Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte has been fined £8,000 by the Football Association after being sent off during last week’s 1-0 Premier League win over Swansea City.

    Conte was asked to leave the dugout by referee Neil Swarbrick after a prolonged remonstration with fourth official Lee Mason with regards to perceived time-wasting by Paul Clement’s struggling Swansea.

    The former Juventus and Italy boss apologised immediately after the match, in which Antonio Rudiger headed the decisive goal, saying he expected to be fined and that he would leave complaining to the match officials in the hands of his players from now on.

    “I think it’s right to accept [the misconduct charge] and to pay the fine,” he told a news conference ahead of the weekend victory over Newcastle United.

    “As I said after the game, if the referee took this decision I have to respect it. I want to respect his decision and pay the fine.

    “They were wasting time and I think the referee has to protect the team that wants to win and play football. I was angry because, despite it happening twice, I said to the fourth official ‘look, they are wasting time’.

    “In the future I will tell my players on the pitch to try to tell the referee. I’ll try to avoid suggesting things to the fourth official.”

    Premier League champions Chelsea lie third in the table and travel to West Ham on Saturday.

    Meanwhile Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane and President Florentino Perez have made contact with Eden Hazard.

    The Chelsea forward has emerged as a key target for the Santiago Bernabeu club. He has delayed signing a new £300,000-a-week deal at Stamford Bridge as he fears it might stop a move.

    Spanish outlet Diario Gol has now claimed that the manager has been given permission by his president to sign Hazard.

    Zidane himself is a long-standing admirer of the Belgium international and, as Sportsmail reported earlier this week, views him as key to his rebuilding project at Real.

    A move for Hazard was put on the back-burner due to the stunning form of Spanish youngsters Marco Asensio and Isco towards the end of last year.

    But Real have stumbled in La Liga this campaign. They are fourth in the league, well behind leaders Barcelona, and only managed second place in their Champions’ League group.

    And that means Perez is willing to sanction a move for Hazard, especially as Cristiano Ronaldo is now seen as less integral to their future.

    Diario therefore has suggested that Zidane made contact with the 26-year-old forward this week after he delayed penning his new contract.

    Last month, Hazard admitted it would be a ‘dream’ to play under Zidane. He said: ‘Everyone knows the respect I have for Zidane as a player, but also as a manager. He was my idol.

    ‘I do not know what will happen in my career in the future. However, for sure, to play under Zidane would be a dream.’

    However, he insisted: ‘I am enjoying life at Chelsea. I still have a lot of things to achieve with them. I am focused on playing for Chelsea.’

    Hazard has previously admitted that it would be a ‘dream’ to work under Zidane

  • Chelsea play down injury crisis ahead Watford tie

    Chelsea play down injury crisis ahead Watford tie

     

     

    Antonio Conte may be suffering something of an injury crisis ahead of this weekend -but the fit players in his squad certainly appeared to be in high spirits nonetheless.

    Chelsea face Watford on Saturday lunchtime with Cesc Fabregas potentially the only fit midfielder available, and with the Blues desperate to bounce back from an embarrassing defeat at Crystal Palace last time out.

    Although Conte appeared worried about his options in his press conference, the squad themselves seemed to be more than happy about their situation at Cobham.

    Goalkeeping trio Thibaut Courtois, Willy Caballero and Eduardo bundled each other during Friday’s training session with no sign of depression.

    Chelsea are currently nine points off the pace at the top, with Saturday’s opponents ahead of them going into the match at Stamford Bridge.

    With that in mind, Eden Hazard, Gary Cahill and Co made sure they were on top of their game in the build-up to the weekend.

    The Blues squad were made to take part in drills with and without the ball, using special technology to measure their sprints and agility.

    When asked in his press conference about the reason for his side’s poor run of form, Conte pointed in part to the amount of games they have played in quick succession.

    ‘It can happen, it can happen,’ he said. ‘After Atletico Madrid, if you remember, we played a tough game after only two days. Maybe, I think, this can be a regret. Our only regret. When we played against Crystal Palace it was after the international break. When we played against Roma it was after three days.’

  • Batshuayi strikes late to give Chelsea win

    Batshuayi strikes late to give Chelsea win

    Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi came off the bench to snatch a 2-1 win at Atletico Madrid on Wednesday with the last kick of the game.

    The result took Antonio Conte’s side top of Champions League Group C.

    France international Antoine Griezmann rammed a penalty kick beyond former Atletico goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to give the home side a barely-deserved lead in the 40th minute.

    He was scoring the first European goal at their new stadium after striking the first Liga goal there this month.

    Former Real Madrid forward Alvaro Morata, who also spent time in Atletico’s youth system, pulled Chelsea level by glancing in Eden Hazard’s cross in the 60th minute.

    This was after the visitors had failed to make their first-half dominance count.

    Batshuayi replaced Morata with seven minutes remaining and inflicted a first home defeat on Atletico since September, 2015.

    It turns wide a Marcos Alonso cutback from close range deep into stoppage-time.

    “It’s very difficult when Atletico score [first] to come back, but in spite of this we deserved to win. We continued to play with good personality, we kept our heads on the pitch in every moment,” Chelsea coach Conte told a news conference.

    “We must be pleased with the performance and overall the personality we showed.

    “I always tell my players that it doesn’t change when you play at home or away, you have to play with the same personality and desire to play and try to deserve to win.”

    Atletico coach Diego Simeone has likened his side’s new home to the Circus Maximus in Rome.

    The club’s famously vociferous fans made a noise fitting of the biggest game in the stadium’s short existence, but Chelsea soon calmed the crowd.

    Hazard, without a goal in the Champions League since March 2015, was Chelsea’s chief creator.

    He dashed through the middle to lay the ball off for Morata to screw wide and then hitting the woodwork himself with a ferocious long-range strike.

    “Chelsea felt more comfortable than us and won the game deservedly,” said Atletico coach Simeone.

    “They were superior tactically and physically. They are a very competitive team, they showed more maturity than us and we have to congratulate them.”

    Atletico struggled to get into Chelsea’s half but capitalised from their first real foray forward.

    A deflected shot from Saul Niguez earned a corner kick from which David Luiz hauled Lucas Hernandez to the floor, leaving Griezmann to score a third goal in four games.

    Simeone’s side could have grabbed a second on the cusp of halftime when Courtois could only hold Koke’s stinging shot but Saul slotted the rebound just wide of the near post.

    A two-goal deficit would have been grossly unfair on Conte’s adventurous side, who also had the better of the second half.

    Morata wasted a chance to strike again when he skipped towards goal unchallenged, scuffing the ball wide of Jan Oblak’s goal.

    But Belgian international Batshuayi needed just one chance to grab the win that was as dramatic as it was deserved.

  • Costa’s return to Atletico Madrid finalised

    Costa’s return to Atletico Madrid finalised

    Diego Costa’s return to Spanish La Liga side Atletico Madrid from Jan. 1 has been finialised, English Premier League champions Chelsea said in a statement on Tuesday.

    The two clubs agreed the transfer last week and on Monday the 28-year-old Spain forward passed a medical to return to the Spanish capital.

    “Diego Costa has today agreed terms for his transfer to Atletico Madrid, which will take effect on Jan. 1, 2018,” Chelsea said in a statement.

    “We thank Diego for his efforts and wish him well in his future career.”

    The controversial Spaniard’s departure from Stamford Bridge signalled the end of a messy transfer saga.

    During this, Costa claimed Chelsea manager Antonio Conte had told him via text that he was no longer required at the club.

    His last game for Chelsea came at Wembley in May when he scored in the 2-1 FA Cup final defeat against Arsenal.

    Costa leaves Chelsea having won two Premier League titles, one League Cup and scored 59 goals in 120 appearances.

    He finished as Chelsea’s top scorer in each of his three seasons in west London.

    “I‘m very happy to return home,” Costa said in a statement on Atletico’s official website.

    “I’ve always said it, Atletico is my home. I‘m very, very happy. I‘m looking forward to start contributing. I‘m going to give my all for the team, as I always try to do.

    “Thank you to the whole club for making this move forward, I‘m very grateful to everyone.”

    Costa will have to wait before pulling on the red and white striped shirt of Atletico as the European transfer window is closed.

    Also, Atletico are banned from registering new players until 2018 after breaching FIFA rules.

    Diego Costa’s return, means he will wear the number 18 shirt, and will join the team’s training from Wednesday.

    He will be eligible for selection from Jan. 2 when the Spanish transfer window opens and Atletico’s ban ends.

    Costa first joined Atletico in 2006 and, following a string of loan spells, established himself as a key part of Diego Simeone’s title winning side in 2013-2014.

    He then joined Chelsea in a deal worth 32 million pounds ($43.21 million).

    Atletico are in the same Champions League group as Chelsea but their two clashes will both be before Costa is eligible to continue his career with the Spanish club.

  • Morata would make a perfect inlaw- Conte

    Morata would make a perfect inlaw- Conte

     

    Chelsea coach Antonio Conte is not only impressed by Alvaro Morata on the pitch performance but believes the Spaniard is a perfect material one could have for In- in-law.

    Describing the 24 year old as a good boy, Conte added that the behavior of the former Juventus and Real Madrid forward is something to write home about.

    The two have been reunited in London after the striker’s big money move from Real Madrid during the summer transfer window. It comes after their spell together in Turin with Juventus and Morata has already settled well into life at Stamford Bridge.”I like him because he’s a complete player but he has a lot of room for improvement in every area.

    He’s very committed on a technical, tactical and physical level,” said the Italian.”His behavior is always fantastic. It is all a process and when I talk about him needing to improve, I’m also referring to a sense of being more aggressive.”It is the right time for him at the age of 24. He’s a very good boy. If you had a daughter, he’d be the kind of person you’d want with her, even to marry her!”However, while Conte was happy to discuss one Spain international striker at length, he was less willing to dwell on Diego Costa, who has already joined former club Atletico Madrid.”I’m not interested in talking about the past,” he added. “I don’t think the past is important. For everyone, the past stays there.”

    Morata got Chelsea’s first goal against Stoke Saturday after just 83 seconds.

  • No Conte grudges as Diego returns to Madrid

    No Conte grudges as Diego returns to Madrid

     

    Diego Costa insists that he leaves Chelsea with no grudges  towards Antonio Conte despite reports of a fractious relationship with the Italian prompting him to seek a return to Athletico Madrid

    Chelsea and Atletico secured a deal, estimated to be worth up to €60million, on Thursday, with Costa set to undergo a medical and agree personal terms before finalising a reunion with Diego Simeone’s side.

    Conte informed Costa that he was not in his plans for the campaign in pre-season, with the pair reported to have fallen out in January over the Blues’ refusal to sanction a move to China, but the striker was welcomed back for Chelsea’s title run-in.

    A pre-season move failed to materialise and Costa opted to remain in Brazil rather than return to training, but with a departure close, the 28-year-old insists he bears no ill will because “everything is cool”.

    Interviewed by Splash News in a Sao Paulo airport, Costa said: “Everybody knows how much I love the fans.

    “There’s nothing of the sort [anger] there. I’m not upset with anyone. I have no bitterness towards anyone. Everything is cool.”

    Costa who boarded a Flight Friday to Spain to complete his transfer will be unable to feature for the club until January

    Costa, now 28, who signed for Chelsea from Atletico in 2014 for £32m, will have a medical in the next 48 hours before signing a four-year contract, with the move expected to be completed by the start of next week.

    Although both Costa and Conte continue to insist there is no bad blood between them, Conte informed the forward that he would no longer be part of plans at Stamford Bridge via a single text message, causing a stand-off between player and club which resulted in Costa telling Sportsmail he felt like he was being treated like a prisoner.

    Costa arrived at Stamford Bridge in July 2014 after the Blues triggered his £32m buy-out clause.

    Costa went on to score 59 goals in 120 matches during his time with Chelsea, winning two Premier League titles and one League Cup.